Shaikh Salman lauds DPR Korea for winning all-Asian final in Colombia
Shaikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) President has praised DPR Korea for clinching a record-equalling third FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup title after defeating their East Asian opponents Japan 1-0 in an all-Asian spectacle at the Estadio El Campin in Bogota, Colombia, on Sunday.
The thrilling showdown was the fourth time in history where the all-important final of a FIFA women's age-group tournament was contested between two Asian sides and a repeat of the AFC U20 Women's Asian Cup™ decider earlier this year, which saw DPR Korea come from behind to secure their second title in Uzbekistan.
The AFC President said: "The entire Asian football family joins me in congratulating both DPR Korea and Japan for their riveting displays throughout the FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup in Colombia and for producing a truly memorable final.
"Our special praise is reserved for DPR Korea for securing their third title but on this historic day, with all eyes on our great Continent, Asia is the ultimate winner.
"Both teams have now cemented their places as amongst the most successful women's age-group sides in world football and we must commend both the DPR Korea Football Association and the Japan Football Association for their outstanding commitment to producing world-class youth teams year after year."
Shaikh Salman, who had envisaged that Asian sides would once again dominate the global age-group showpiece in Colombia, added: "As I reiterated before the tournament, nowhere is the progress of the AFC's Vision and Mission and rise of our teams on the world's biggest stages more palpable than with our women's age-group teams.
"The exceptional performances of our teams will serve as an inspiration for our participating teams and Member Associations to achieve more historical moments in the years to come and I am confident that our Asian stars of tomorrow will write a new glorious chapter in the history of women's football not just in our Continent, but across the women's game globally."
Some of the emerging stars poised to shine in more prestigious arenas in the future include DPR Korea's Choe Il Son, whose six goals saw her seal the tournament's top scorer award as well as the coveted Golden Ball accolade while the Japanese duo of Manaka Matsukubo and Maya Hijikata claimed the Silver Ball and Bronze Boot respectively.
Appearing in their fourth Final, DPR Korea won their first title in their debut U-20 campaign in 2006 before adding a second a decade later, while Japan, who were featuring in their third decider, took home the silverware in 2018.